Personal Welfare Manager (North) / Senior Social Worker

• Ensure the effective management of casework, including:

  • Case allocation
  • Case management
  • High-quality assessments and appropriate interventions, such as:
    • Welfare benefits advice
    • Advocacy
    • Emotional and practical support

• Drive service performance and improvement:

  • Monitor efficiency and effectiveness
  • Address any performance or practice issues that arise

• Support the team through:

  • Supervision
  • Appraisals
  • Case reviews
  • Observations

• Act as the safeguarding lead for the region:

  • Advise and support team members in safeguarding matters
  • Ensure adherence to CISWO’s safeguarding policy

• Manage the delivery of home-visiting services, including:

  • Welfare benefits advice
  • Mobility support
  • Combating social isolation
  • Addressing financial concerns

• Keep up-to-date with:

  • Relevant legislation
  • Emerging best practices
  • Share knowledge across the team and wider organisation

• Build and maintain good working relationships with other professionals and agencies to ensure:

  • Integrated, holistic, and multidisciplinary approaches

• Contribute to the development of new services and approaches to meet evolving client needs.

• Help shape and communicate the organisation’s strategic plans:

  • Foster awareness and engagement across the team.

• Represent CISWO at events and meetings.

• Collaborate with the headquarters to coordinate publicity, marketing, and outreach of the service in the region.

• Drive personal professional development to uphold rigorous safe-and-effective practice standards.

  • Maintain social work registration.
  • Facilitate learning and development opportunities for team members.

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

Essential:

• Degree in Social Work, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, or another health and social care professional qualification, with current registration in the appropriate regulatory body (e.g., Health and Care Professions Council). Qualified and registered Social Workers are preferred.
• Evidence of learning through continuing professional development and its application to practice, such as mentoring.
• Experience in leading or managing a team within health and social care:
  • Ability to prioritise caseloads effectively.
  • Demonstrate integrity, professionalism, and resilience under pressure.
• Hands-on community-based social care experience, particularly with older people or disability services.
• Experience in:
  • Implementing systems, processes, and facilitating change.
  • Supporting the development and updating of policies and practice based on legislative changes and best practices.
• Deep knowledge of the welfare benefits system.
• Strong understanding of values and principles related to:
  • Working with vulnerable adults
  • Supporting their carers in community settings.
• Comprehensive knowledge of relevant legislation and best practices, especially concerning:
  • Older people
  • Mental health
  • Disability support.
• Ability to:
  • Foster trustful relationships with team members, professionals, and clients, promoting collaborative support.
  • Work both independently and as part of a team, encouraging those values in others.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal).
• Demonstrates strong customer service orientation.
• Proficiency in IT systems.
• Shows self-motivation, excellent organisation, and time management skills.
• Strong judgment and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to resolve problems proactively, practically, and positively.
• Must take initiative with a hands-on approach to work.
• Requires a valid driving licence and access to a vehicle.
• Must be flexible to travel regionally, including potential occasional overnight stays.

Desirable:

• Experience in:

  • Social work practice teaching
  • Holding practice teacher status or working toward it.

• Background in charity sector health and social care roles.

• Knowledge of:

  • Issues facing former mineworkers
  • Mining community challenges.

• A satisfactory DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is required for this role.

Note: This job description reflects the key tasks of the role and identifies the levels of responsibility required. It may be subject to review or amendment over time in line with evolving job requirements.